Question.

What about the Gentiles (non-Jews)?

Answer.

The term "Gentile" does not even exist in Hebrew Scripture! In fact, there is the strong possibility that it may be derived from the Hebrew word "Galut," which means the "exile," and more directly refers to the exiled sons of Israel sent out to their assimilation among the nations, in Hebrew, the goyim. Consider this:

Galut in Hebrew is spelled with the sounds from Gimmel Lamed Tav, and thus G L T.
Gentile in English is spelled with the consonantal sounds G T L.
Take the Hebrew letters G L T (Galut) and reverse the T and L sounds and you get G T L.
Add a nasal "n", which is a commonly occurring linguistic variation, and place it between the G and the T
Now, add the vowels "e" and "i" and you get G E N T I L E

Of course, this is my speculation, but it nonetheless makes for some interesting conversation.

Concerning the Gentiles and Israel, consider this from the holy text of Parashat Beha'alotcha—B'midbar (Numbers) 10:35-36:

Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, Rise up, YHWH! and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You. And when it came to rest, he said, Return You, YHWH, the myriad thousands of Israel (literally, ten thousands of thousands).

Also, consider these words from Genesis 24:60:

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "May you, our sister, become thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them."

This term "myriad thousands" is used to describe an indeterminate number of all Israel, the Hebrew descendents of Rivka (Rebekah). Now, turn to Acts 21:20, where the Netzerim of Jerusalem were discussing the matter with Paul:

And when they heard it they began glorifying Elohim; and they said to him (to Paul), "You see, brother, how many ten thousands times ten thousands (literally "myriads") there are with the Yehudim of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law (the Torah).

From the words of Acts Chapter 9, Paul, like Yeshua, was dedicated to the purpose of teaching the Torah to Israel among the Gentiles. Let us find out exactly what this means by reading from Acts 9:10-16:

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and YHWH said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Behold, here am I, Master." And the Master said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Yehudah for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Master, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your Holy Ones at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Your Name." But YHWH said to him, " Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake."

Notice here that Paul's delegation was an appointment to bring the name of YHWH to the Gentiles, Kings, and the Sons of Israel. While reading through the Greek grammar of this passage, something interesting caught my eye. In the Greek texts, the word "and," which connects the "Sons of Israel" with "Gentiles" and "Kings" is the Greek word "kai." This word "kai" is a part of speech called a conjunction. Its counterpart in Hebrew and Aramaic is the letter vav. The "vav," unlike the English word "and," has a wide variety of meanings in Hebrew; meanings that include: "also," "then," "even," "because," "therefore," "since," "while," and "but." I want you to consider this little conjunction as having the weight and importance of what could be linguistically called a "vav of purpose." A "vav of purpose" means there is an underlying purpose or cause of action for what follows. For example, in the Torah of Shemot (Exodus) 7:16 we read:

And you (Moshe) will say to him, "YHWH, the Elohim of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.' "

The phrase, "that they may serve Me" in Hebrew has a vav attached to the word ya'avduni, from avad meaning to "work." With this passage in Exodus, it would make less grammatical sense to translate the phrase, "Let My people go, and they may serve Me." Rather, it was for Pharaoh to let the people go so that it resulted in Israel leaving Egypt in order to serve Elohim. This is the idea behind the "vav of purpose."

In Acts 9:15, the Greek "kai" also has a cause or purpose built into it just like the Hebrew "vav," and it is a Hebraic part of speech to carry with it the expression, "…even the Sons of Israel." Now, I realize that some might think of my deduction to be the equivalent of a theological "stretch," through eisegesis, meaning that because of my theological leanings, I have simply predetermined in my mind that this is what should be there, and thus, I am reading this meaning into the text. Perhaps, but remember that I always try to allow for the Tanakh to be our guide and to establish it for teaching preeminence when it comes to "New Testament" studies. On this basis, there are three interesting prophecies given concerning the Gentiles, referred to "foreigners" and "goyim" in the Scriptures; one prophecy was spoken to Avraham, one to Jacob, and one to Joseph, from Genesis 17:15-16, 35:10-12, 48:19:

(To Avraham) … I will bless her (Sarah), and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of goyim; kings of peoples shall come from her (B'resheet 17:15-16).

(To Jacob) …I am El Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation (goy or Gentile) and a company of goyim shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you... (B'resheet 35:10-12).

(To Joseph) …his younger brother (Ephraim) shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of goyim (fulness of the goyim or Gentiles) (B'resheet 48:19).

As for Ishmael, there is one prophecy spoken about him to Father Avraham:

And as for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great goy (B'resheet 17:20).

From all that we read in these series of prophecies, it was taught that Ishmael would father princes (Maywn n'si'im) and that he himself (and his progeny) would be a great goy or nation. As for Sarah, she was to produce "Gentiles" (Myvg goyim or nations) and Kings (Myklm malachim) through Isaac; Jacob was to produce "Gentiles" and Kings through the sons of his own children; Joseph was to produce a "fullness of the Gentiles." Keep in mind that the ancient Hebrew term "goy" meant a nation or a people. However, by the time of Paul, its meaning had also come to mean a Gentile or apostate Israelite (Romans Chapters 9-11). From what we read in Acts 9:15, it appears that Paul's mission was first directed towards fulfilling prophecies that concerned the offspring of Avraham's children through Isaac, through Jacob, and also through Joseph. In other words, the line of Avraham through Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph would produce Gentiles (nations) and Kings, whereas the line through Ishmael was destined to produce princes and Gentiles (nations). However, I am unaware of any prophecy that speaks about a scattering and regathering of Ishmael's descendants, thus the words that Paul would "bear My name before the Gentiles and Kings, even ("kai") the sons of Israel." If my assumption is correct, then this adds yet another dimension to Paul's words in Galatians 4:6-7 (my editorial notes in parenthetical bold):

But because you were sons (Exodus 4:22), Elohim sent the spirit of His son to your hearts, that calls the Father "Our Father" (the relationship between Israel and YHWH in Isaiah 64:8-9). And because you were not servants but sons (a reference to Leviticus 25:55 that all Israel were not just servants but also sons), and if sons, inheritors of Elohim (a reference to Deuteronomy 28:10 that all Israel would be called in the Name) by (in) Y'shua the Messiah (a reference to Psalm 2:7-8 and the inheritance belonging to the Messianic King).

For more on this subject, click here, which will take you to the Millennium Communications webstore, where you can purchase Avi ben Mordechai's 500-page commentary on Galatians (closed down from Friday evening until Saturday evening).